Postoperative imaging of the hip

The number and type of operative procedures involving the hip continue to increase, placing a greater emphasis on characterizing patient postoperative condition accurately. Optimal postoperative imaging evaluation may involve multiple modalities, including conventional radiography, radionuclide scintigraphy, and cross-sectional imaging. Many of the surgical procedures involve the placement of metallic joint replacements or fixation that can make the imaging evaluation of the postoperative anatomy challenging. Clinical examination of patients combined with the type of procedure performed direct the appropriate imaging evaluation; adequate clinical knowledge of these procedures and how to optimally image them provide an opportunity to attain the most accurate evaluation possible.